Colo. part of Dems’ blue-state blues; the wide-open West in ’12 Senate battle; a silver lining in all those dead trees

NOT THE CHANGE DEMS ENVISIONED: The number of solidly Democratic states has declined markedly from 2008 (30) to 2010 (14), according to a new Gallup analysis. Colorado is among the 12 states — Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin being the others — that shifted from solidly or leaning Democratic to competitive from 2008 through last year. No states have moved in a more Democratic direction since 2008.

WILD, WILD WEST: Recent Senate retirements in Arizona and New Mexico and competitive races in Nevada, coupled with growing populations, have elevated the Wild West to be the next major political battleground. The region will play a decisive role in Democrats’ ability to hold their Senate majority. Roll Call

SUNDAY SALES NOT SO BAD: When the state started allowing alcohol sales on Sundays in 2008, critics feared the ability to buy alcohol one more day a week would cause a spike in deadly drunken-driving crashes. Instead, the number of drunken-driving deaths on Colorado highways on Sundays plummeted, from 20 in 2009 to just six in 2010, according to state patrol spokeswoman Trooper Heather Cobler. Troopers also issued 1,100 fewer drunken-driving tickets to drivers not involved in crashes, with the 2010 total dropping to 4,964. Colorado Public News

SILVER LINING IN THOSE RED TREES: The beetle epidemic that has killed trees on millions of acres in western North America isn’t the ecological disaster it is often portrayed to be, a senior forest scientist with The Wilderness Society said Monday. Greg Aplet said forests are already showing signs of coming back in ways that will make them more resilient and adaptable to a changing environment brought by climate change. Summit Daily News

‘FIRST GIRLS’ FLY OFF: The first lady and her daughters were among those who packed up and headed for home Monday, closing out a busy Presidents Day weekend in the Vail Valley. Vail Daily

BAGS STILL OK IN MV: With Telluride’s bag ban poised to go into effect next week, the Mountain Village Town Council has decided to hold off on pursuing a bag ban to see how the ordinance plays out in its sister town. Daily Planet

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.